So, Sony finally did the thing they always do. Since the days of the original grey box, we’ve expected a smaller, sleeker version of the current hardware about three years into the life cycle. The PlayStation 5 slim consoles aren't officially called "Slim" by Sony—they just call them the PS5—but everyone knows what they are. They're the diet version of that massive tower that’s been dominating living rooms since 2020.
Honestly, the original PS5 was a beast. It was huge. It was heavy. It looked like a futuristic radiator that didn't quite fit on most IKEA TV stands. When the new model dropped, people expected a total overhaul, but what we actually got was more of a refined nudge toward efficiency.
The Shrinkage Factor: How PlayStation 5 Slim Consoles Actually Fit Your Life
If you’ve seen the original "fat" model, you know it’s over 15 inches tall. The PlayStation 5 slim consoles cut that volume down by more than 30%. It doesn't sound like much until you try to shove it into a media console. Suddenly, you have breathing room. The weight is down by 24% too. Picking up the disc version of the new slim feels significantly less like a gym workout compared to the launch unit.
One weird thing Sony did? The panels. Instead of two massive plates, we now have four. The top ones are glossy; the bottom ones are matte. It’s a bit of a fingerprint magnet on top, which is kinda annoying if you’re someone who touches their console often. But the real kicker is the "hump." Because the disc drive is now modular, the console has this slight protrusion on one side. It breaks the symmetry, sure, but it’s a trade-off for a feature we’ve actually wanted for a long time: repairability.
The Modular Disc Drive Gamble
This is probably the biggest change in the history of the brand. With PlayStation 5 slim consoles, you can buy the Digital Edition and just... add a disc drive later. It costs about $79.99. You just pop the bottom panel off, click the drive in, and you're good to go. Well, mostly.
There is a catch that caught some people off guard during the 2023 launch. You need an internet connection to pair the disc drive with the motherboard. This is a DRM (Digital Rights Management) move. While it’s a one-time thing, it sparked a lot of debate among game preservationists. What happens in 20 years if Sony’s servers are down and you need to reset your console? It’s a valid concern, though for most of us just trying to play Spider-Man 2 today, it’s a non-issue.
Storage and Speed: The 1TB Milestone
Finally. Sony finally gave us a full terabyte.
The original PS5 advertised 825GB of storage. By the time you accounted for the operating system and the "Astro's Playroom" pack-in, you were left with about 667GB. In a world where Call of Duty and NBA 2K can easily eat 150GB each, that was tight. You’d have four or five big games and suddenly you’re playing "storage Tetris."
With the PlayStation 5 slim consoles, you get a true 1TB of usable space (well, roughly 848GB after the OS). It’s a noticeable breathing room. It means one more AAA title can live on your dashboard without you having to delete your favorite indie gems.
- Internal SSD: Custom 1TB NVMe.
- Expansion: You can still add your own M.2 SSD.
- Speed: 5.5GB/s raw data throughput.
If you're looking to upgrade that storage, make sure you get a drive with a heatsink. The Samsung 990 Pro or the Western Digital Black SN850X are the gold standards here. Sony hasn't changed the expansion slot design, so if you had a drive in your old PS5, you can just swap it right over to the Slim.
Thermal Performance and Noise
There was a lot of worry that making the console smaller would make it louder. Smaller fans usually have to spin faster to move the same amount of air, right? Surprisingly, the PlayStation 5 slim consoles handle the heat pretty well.
Testing from tech experts like Austin Evans and the Digital Foundry team shows that while the internal heat pipe layout has changed, the actual power draw remains nearly identical to the "C-Chassis" (the last revision of the big PS5). It’s not necessarily "cooler," but it’s not overheating either. The fan noise is subjective. Some units ship with a Foxconn fan, others with a Nidec. Depending on which one you get, you might hear a slight "UFO" coil whine or a low hum, but in a typical living room setup, it's effectively silent compared to a PS4 Pro.
What's in the Box? (And What’s Missing)
Sony made a move here that felt a bit "Apple-esque."
When you buy one of these PlayStation 5 slim consoles, you get a horizontal stand. But it’s not really a "stand." It’s two tiny plastic "feet" that look like translucent staples. They clip into the gap between the plates. It works, but it feels a bit cheap.
If you want to stand the console vertically, you have to buy the official Vertical Stand separately for $29.99. The old PS5 came with a circular base that did both. This is clearly a cost-saving measure, and honestly, it’s a bit of a bummer for a console that costs $449 or $499.
On the plus side, the front ports have been upgraded. You now get two USB-C ports on the front. One is Hi-Speed, one is SuperSpeed 10Gbps. This is great because almost everything is moving to USB-C anyway—headsets, controllers, VR cables. The back still has the two USB-A ports for your legacy hard drives or peripheral dongles.
Why the Digital Edition is the Smarter Buy (Usually)
Look, if you aren't a collector of physical media, the Digital Edition of the PlayStation 5 slim consoles is the way to go. It’s $50 cheaper than the disc model. Because the hardware is now identical—unlike the launch version where the Digital Edition had a completely different chassis—you aren't "locked in" anymore.
If you realize six months later that you want to buy used games from GameStop or borrow a disc from a friend, you just buy the detachable drive. It’s modularity done right. It gives you the flexibility to spread out the cost of the console over time.
The PS5 Pro Shadow
It’s impossible to talk about the Slim without mentioning the PS5 Pro. Since the Pro launched late in 2024, the Slim has taken on the role of the "entry-level" machine.
Is the Pro better? Yeah, it has more GPU compute units and PSSR (PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution) for better upscaling. But it’s also significantly more expensive and doesn't even come with a disc drive included. For the vast majority of people—especially those playing on a standard 4K TV at 60Hz—the PlayStation 5 slim consoles provide the exact same gameplay experience as the Pro in 95% of titles. You’re still getting ray tracing, haptic feedback on the DualSense, and those lightning-fast load times.
Actionable Tips for New Owners
If you just picked up one of the PlayStation 5 slim consoles, don't just plug it in and play. There are a few things you should do immediately to get the most out of it.
First, check your HDMI cable. Use the one that came in the box. It’s a 2.1 rated cable. If you use an old cable from your PS4, you might not get 4K at 120Hz or HDR properly.
Second, go into the settings and adjust your HDR calibration. Most people skip this or just click through it. Taking two minutes to set the "black levels" correctly makes a massive difference in games like God of War Ragnarök or The Last of Us Part II Remastered.
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Third, if you're standing it vertically without the extra $30 stand, please be careful. It’s surprisingly stable, but it’s thin. One accidental bump from a vacuum cleaner or a pet could send it over. If you have a busy household, that $30 investment is basically insurance for your $500 machine.
Lastly, manage your "Rest Mode" settings. The PS5 is great at downloading updates while you sleep, but if you live in an area with frequent power flickers, make sure you have it plugged into a surge protector. The SSD is sensitive to sudden power losses during write cycles.
The PlayStation 5 slim consoles represent the "mature" phase of this generation. They are efficient, slightly more spacious in terms of storage, and far more flexible than the units we had back in 2020. Whether you're upgrading from a PS4 or just finally jumping into this generation, the Slim is a solid, reliable piece of tech that finally looks like it belongs in a modern home.